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Dariel's World

Hi. I'm Dariel Raye, an interracial/multi-cultural paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and psy/suspense author, and every day of this journey is a learning experience. I'm also a counselor, musician, and animal lover. My stories are about all-conquering love and romance, and I enjoy hosting other authors as well. Enter a world where werewolves, vampires, multi-shifters, vamp-like Nephilim, Vodouin Fey, and all things paranormal capture our hearts...

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Indie Books: 4-Reviews for 4 That Stuck the Landing

Indie
Books: 4 Mini-Reviews of 4 That Stuck the Landing

Yes, I’m a gymnastics fan whose Grandmother taught
her to do a straight cartwheel. It’s always thrilling when a gymnast nails a
routine and sticks the landing. The
characters in my books come to life and never leave me; that’s expected, so
they’re not included here. On the other hand, when I read other authors’ books,
meet their characters, and they remain vibrant and real weeks, even months
later, that means the book is pretty darn good.

I read the following books (listed in no particular
order) over the last few years and they stuck with me. Something about the
writing, the characters, or both moved me to the point that I still remember
them well. This list is not exhaustive, of course, and I’ll post more as the
mood strikes. I’d suggest you take a look at these when you get a chance. They
just might stick with you, too J

History as we know it is a lie. An intricate web of half-truths and
falsifications spun by the most infamous murderer in history: the immortal,
Cain, son of Adam and Eve. All so the truth of him and his power can stay in
the shadows, with every oblivious mortal his pawn. The Mark of Cain, a
paranormal romantic suspense novel, reveals the truth.

After
murdering his brother, Abel, Cain was unjustly cursed by God. When the curse
becomes too unbearable for him and he faces immortality alone, Cain puts his
energy into claiming the Earth as his own. Now, after thousands of years living
his life as some of history’s greatest conquerors, the ruthless first son of
Adam finally has a controlling interest in the world with the strongest
governments secretly answering to him.

Tired
of the bloodshed and manipulation that has brought him to this point, Cain is
ready to relax. But God has sent someone to challenge his interests: a young
woman named Hara, whose very life was foretold centuries ago.

To
keep God from victory, Cain sets out to woo and corrupt Hara, planning to kill
her once she is no longer God’s Chosen One. At first, as she edges off the path
leading toward the fulfillment of the prophecy, Cain can’t help but feel smug.
However, the closer he gets to her, the more he finds that Hara’s charitable
presence causes him to feel shame for the first time in his long life, and soon
he finds that he no longer wishes her harm. But the prophecy is clear on this;
she has to die for him to win. When it comes to her end, will he be as selfish
as he has always been, or will he sacrifice himself for the love of his very
long life?

In “The Mark of Cain,” Seeley spins an ingenious
tale using an infamous Biblical character as a jump-off point. Cain, you know,
the first murderer and ultimate bad-boy, is immortal, which makes sense because
he was sent into the land of “Nod” long before God placed limitations on human
life.

Well, now he’s tired of his endless life of
mundity, so he’s decided to gain more power and conquer the world. History
records many conquerors, but in actuality, they were simply incarnates of Cain
in his quest for power and bloodshed to repay God for what he sees as an unjust
fate.

In walks Hara, God’s “chosen” one, and God’s
perfect chess piece. Cain becomes sidetracked, seeking to avenge himself by corrupting
her. As added incentive, he knows that if he doesn’t corrupt her, he will lose
his battle with God, everything he’s worked so hard to achieve throughout his
immortal existence.

Be prepared to go to sleep with this story on your
mind, and awake eager to read more. Suspenseful, full of lovable, real
characters with life and death motives, “The Mark of Cain” will not disappoint.
Love has a funny way of changing everything.

When the perfect human being, Galahad, escapes from Pioneer
Laboratories, the illusory peace between humans and their derivatives--the in
vitros, clones, and mutants--collapses into social upheaval. The first era of
the Genetic Revolution was peaceful. The second is headed for open war.

The
alpha empath, Danyael Sabre, does not feel compelled to risk his cover of
anonymity and get involved, until he finds out that the perfect human being
looks just like him.

Two
men, one face. One man seeks to embrace destiny, the other to escape it. But
destiny has a name--Zara. Assassin.

The first in this multi-award winning series, “Perfection Unleashed”
gets you primed to read the rest. In this world-building masterpiece, Danyael
(an angelic name, BTW) Sabre has very little memory of who or what he is.

Later, he learns that he’s an empathy with a look-alike clone considered
to be the perfect man. As Danyael unfolds the mystery surrounding his origin
and past, Galahad, his look-alike, is just beginning to realize that he has a
life awaiting him beyond the lab in which he was created.

Book one introduces us to a tiny, yet intriguing romance set to bloom in
subsequent books. Sci-Fi, fantasy, suspense, and romance lovers will enjoy this
series. Amazon

UPDATE: July 28, 2014: Sensual content deleted. (2nd edition)She
lost it all in one agonizing moment…

Princess
Michal is used to getting everything she wants, and she has her heart set on
the young hero David. But their passionate love affair is destroyed by her
father’s murderous rage. Will David's departing promises be enough?

David
the King is no longer the charming harpist she gave her heart to. The most
powerful man in Israel, he falls into the arms of the beautiful Bathsheba.

Temptation
comes in the form of a dashing Philistine warrior. Michal vows to be the only
woman in David’s heart, but does she know her own?

A
novel of betrayal, forbidden love, and redemption, Michal’s Window is an
imaginative retelling of King David's story through the eyes of the woman who
loved him first.

NOTE:
All sensual passages have been removed. If you downloaded this book before July
28, 2014, please go to Manage Your Kindle content to download the updated
version or contact Amazon support. Thanks!

I included Ayala’s note because although a work of fiction, “Michal’s
Window” is an account or interpretation of the actual relationship alluded to
between the Biblical David and his first wife.

Like most of the Bible, the original account of David and his many wives
was encapsulated within surrounding deemed much more important than the entire
life of a mere woman, so the author’s bravery and ambition in writing such a
challenging piece with grace and realism intrigued me before even reading it.

That in mind, “Michal’s Window” was still an eye-opener – bringing the
laws and values of Biblical times and their impact on individuals to light with
poignant clarity. Viewed through the eyes of a woman who lived during a time in
which women had no rights and did their best to survive solely at the mercy of
men, David was a man as much a prisoner of society as his wife, Michal.

A romance even my Mother would enjoy, “Michal’s Window” is one of
abiding love, loyalty, and survival, coupled with the baser nature of humanity –
pursuit of power, adoration, and the folley of pride. This book will keep you
riveted to the story, open your eyes to the plight of every woman in the Bible,
and draw you into a world where tears, laughter, and simmering anger are par
for the course. Amazon

'My name is Lucas Soul. Today, I died again. This is my fifteenth
death in the last four hundred and fifty years.'

Soul is an outcast of
the immortal societies. Born of a Bastian mother and a Crovir father, a half
breed whose very existence is abhorred by the two races, he spends the first
three hundred and fifty years of his life being chased and killed by the
Hunters.

One fall night in
Boston, the Hunt starts again, resulting in Soul’s fifteenth death and
triggering a chain of events that sends him on the run with Reid Hasley, a
former US Marine and his human business partner of ten years. From Paris to
Prague, their search for answers will lead them deep into the immortal
societies and bring them face to face with someone from Soul’s past.

Shocking
secrets are uncovered and fresh allies come to the fore as they attempt to put
a stop to a new and terrifying threat to both immortals and humans.

Time is running out for
Soul. Can he get to the truth before his seventeenth death, protect the ones he
loves and prevent another immortal war?

Lucas Soul is nearly immortal. He has been graced or as he might see
it, cursed, with seventeen lives. Starrling’s “Soul Meaning” is the first in
the “Seventeen” series, and I read it before others were written.

“Soul Meaning” introduces us to Lucas at a critical time – he now
only has one more life to live, and enemies at his heels doing everything in
their power to take that one and end
him forever.

As I said in my initial review of this book, I could easily see a
movie or series springing from it for television or the big screen. The
characters are intricate, complex, and likable, the action taut and fast-paced.

Something for nearly everyone, if you enjoy action, sci-fi, paranormal, or urban
fantasy, you will definitely love this novel. Now, I’ve gotta get my paws on
the rest of the series. I believe there are three, now, all with reviews
averaging more than four stars. Amazon